Sticker charts fizzled out pretty quickly for us too—kids catch on fast when the novelty wears off, don't they? We tried the water flosser route as well, and honestly, it was a lifesaver at first. But after a while, my youngest decided it was more fun to spray the mirror (and occasionally his brother) than actually floss his teeth...so there's that.
What finally clicked for us was letting them pick their own flossers—the colorful ones with animal shapes or cartoon characters. Sounds silly, but giving them a bit of control made a huge difference. They actually started reminding me about flossing before bed, which was a minor miracle in our house. Might be worth trying if the water flosser excitement ever wears off. Kids are funny creatures—sometimes the simplest things do the trick.
We went through something similar with sticker charts—they worked for maybe a week before my daughter figured out the system and lost interest. Kids really do catch on fast, don't they? We also tried the water flosser, and while it was initially a hit (mostly because it felt like a toy), it quickly turned into a bathroom water fight every night. I swear, our mirror has never been cleaner...or wetter.
What eventually worked for us was turning flossing into a bit of a family ritual. Instead of making it feel like another chore, we started doing it together as part of our bedtime routine. I'd floss alongside her, and we'd chat about her day or tell silly stories while we did it. It became less about flossing itself and more about spending those few extra minutes together before bed. Surprisingly, she started looking forward to that little bit of one-on-one time, and flossing just naturally became part of the package.
I do like your idea about letting them pick their own flossers though—giving kids some control over these small decisions can really boost their motivation. Maybe we'll try combining both approaches next time we're at the store. It's funny how parenting often comes down to trial-and-error and finding what clicks with each kid individually...no two are ever quite the same.
"I swear, our mirror has never been cleaner...or wetter."
Haha, sounds familiar. Our water flosser turned into a nightly splash zone too—who knew oral hygiene could double as bathroom entertainment? Love your approach about turning flossing into family bonding time though. Kids really do respond better when it's less chore-like and more about connection. You're definitely onto something there... parenting really is just one big experiment, isn't it?
parenting really is just one big experiment, isn't it?
Haha, totally relate to the nightly splash zone! Our bathroom mirror looks like abstract art these days. Honestly though, making flossing fun really does help—my kids got way more into it once we added silly timers and sticker charts. Whatever works, right?
Haha, abstract art indeed... sounds familiar. Sticker charts were hit-or-miss for us, but honestly, just keeping floss picks handy by the sink made a huge difference. Less hassle, less mess. You're right though—whatever gets the job done without nightly battles is a win in my book. Hang in there, it does get easier eventually... or at least that's what I keep telling myself.
